Racing game with magnetically driven racing elements



Oct. 6, 1970 H. L. SHAW 3,532,341

RACING GAME WITH MAGNETICALLY DIRVEN RACING ELEMENTS Filed March 6, 19692 Sheets-Sheet 1 i/// /Af ////K 49 I as INVENTOR.

|- 39 HARVEY L. SHAW BY I ATTORNEY H. L. SHAW Oct. 6, 1970 RACING GAMEWITH HAGNETICALLY DIRVEN RACING ELEMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6,1969 l6 ;BI 36 4 FIG. 6

INVENTOR.

HARVEY L. SHAW ATTORNEY United States Patent 01 fice 3,532,341 PatentedOct. 6, 1970 3,532,341 RACING GAME WITH MAGNETICALLY DRIVEN RACINGELEMENTS Harvey L. Shaw, 620 B. Castillo St., Santa Barbara, Calif.93101 Filed Mar. 6, 1969, Ser. No. 804,833 Int. Cl. A63f 9/14; A63l133/26 US. Cl. 273---86 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Motor drivenmagnets on one side of a sheet of stiff material drive competitor pieceson the other side by magnetic attraction through the sheet. Two or morerotating arms drive the magnets and the speed of rotation of each arm iscontrolled by an individual human operator for each arm. Groups ofmagnets are mounted at the outer end of each arm for single and compoundrevolution about the arm end. The paths of revolution of the differentgroups of magnets interfere with each other, and when one arm overtakesthe other there are collisions between driving magnets which collisionsknock off competitor pieces. Random movement of the magnets of eachgroup is built-in by differences in friction with the undersurface ofthe racing, surface.

This invention relates to a racing game and has particular reference toa motor driven game wherein the competitor pieces are disposed on a flatcontinuous surface, and the driving mechanism is not visible.

I drive my competitors by means of magnets disposed beneath a sheet ofmaterial forming the racing field. The sheet is preferably non-metal,such as wood, glass or plastic, to reduce induction losses and maximizemagnetic attraction between the driving magnet and the ferrous armatureor magnet attached to the racing competitors. A random element isintroduced by means of the driving mechanisms mechanically interferingwith each other. This introduces an element of skill for the humanplayers inasmuch as the speed of movement of the driving mechanismsrelative to each other controls the degree of interference. AdditionallyI build into the mechanism a characteristic of loss of players when theinterference is too great, to further enhance the requirement for skill.

It is therefore a general object of my invention to provide a motordriven magnetically coupled racing game that gives rise to a randominterference between competitors requiring skill on the part of thehuman players.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparentin the accompanying drawings forming an integral part of thisspecification and in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a presently preferred form of tablesupporting the racing mechanism and on which are disposed racing cars asthe racing competitors.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through a fragment of the table of FIG. 1,showing an alternative use when the surface is covered with water andthe competitors are floating boats.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the table of FIG. 1 showing one ofthe racers in elevation and showing the driving magnet below the racingsurface.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the table of FIG. 1 showing amodified form of competitor in the shape of a motorcycle racer.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the mechanism disposed in the table of FIG. 1but with the racing surface removed to show the driving arms on whichare located the magnets.

FIG. 6 is an elevation view in full section of the mechanism of FIGS. 1and 5 for driving the racing car competitors.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of the inventionemploying two magnets at the end of a driving arm rather than fourmagnets.

FIG. 8 is an elevation view of a preferred form of tilting mechanism.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, there is illustrated a box10 supported by table legs 11. The box 10 has a bottom 12, sidewalls 13,and a top racing surface 14. The top surface 14 supports the racingcompetitors, and as shown in FIG. 1, these are simulated automobileracers 16. The top surface 14 is preferably a nonmetal and may be asheet made of glass, plastic, compressed wood fibre, etc. It ispreferably removable for access to the driving mechanism located belowit.

The driving mechanisms is disposed on a central pedestal 17 which ispreferably hollow to permit the passage of electric wires leading to oneor more upper motors. Mounted on the pedestal 17 for rotation is a lowerdriven wheel 18 to which is mounted a lower drive arm 19. Mounted alsofor rotation on the pedestal 17 is an upper driven wheel to which issecured an upper driven arm 22. Both wheels 18 and 21 have a resilientrim for frictionally driving or rotating the wheels. Projecting from thepedestal 17 is a lower support arm 23 and mounted on the outer end ofthis support arm is an electric motor 24. The motor 24 has a shaft 26that frictionally engages the driven wheel 18 to drive it in rotation. Asimilar bracket 27 has a motor 28 on its outer end and it in turn has ashaft 29 which frictionally engages the driven wheel 21. The pedestal 17has a topflange 31 which may support the flat sheet surface 14 in thecenter.

Referring now to FIG. 1 it will 'be noted that the box 10 has a pair ofjacks 32 through which wires 33 project to be connected at their outerends to rheostats 34. The rheostats in turn control the flow of currentthrough the wires that lead to the motors 24 and 28. The motors mayobtain power from any suitable source of electric current, and therheostats 34 accordingly control the current and hence control theirspeed, and thereby directly control the speed of rotation of the arms 19and 22. If desired, a reversing switch may be incorporated in therheostats 34, 19 and 22. Each human player in turn actuates one of therheostats 34 to control the speed of his particular driving arm 19 or22.

Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6 and 3, there is disposed at one outer end ofthe arms 19 and 22, a cluster of randomly revolving magnets 36. Theseare held against the bottom side of the continuous sheet 14 by means ofpivoted bars 37 pivoted intermediate their ends at 40 to the respectivearms 22 and 19. Disposed at each end of the pivoted bars 37 are crossbars 38, pivoted at 45. At the outer ends of these cross bars 38 thereis mounted for rotation wheels 39 preferably having a rubber tire orother shock abrosbing exterior surface. The magnets 36 in turn aremounted on these wheels 39 in any suitable fashion, for example, by avertically reciprocable pin 41 urged upwardly by compression spring 42surrounding the pin. At the other end of arm 19 and 22 may be disposedcounter weights 50 approxiamtely of the same weight as the bar, crossbars and magnets just described.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 5, it will be noted that when thelower driving arm 19 is rotated, its pivot 40 defines a circle shown bya broken line 43. The pivot 40 on the upper cross arm 22 defines acircle shown by a broken line 46. The lines 43 and 46, accordingly,define a separate and discrete path for the driving mechanisms for theracing competitors 16 as shown in FIG. 1. The pivot points 45 of thepivoted bar 37 revolve in a circle defined by the broken lines 47. Itwill be noted that these two circles 47 intersect the adjoining pathlines 43 and 46 of the driving arms. Additionally, the centers of themagnets 36 revolve about the pivots 45 and define an additional circleof movement indicated by the lines 48. This circling of magnets aboutanother circular path may be described as compound revolution. Theseeven further intersect the paths of travel 43 and 46 of the adjoiningdrive arms 19 and 22. The diameter of the wheels 39 is so selected thatwhen the centers of the magnets 36 for a particular arm are tangent totheir path 43 or 46 there is a slight clearance with the wheels of theadjoining arm when those magnets 36 are tangent to their respective pathof travel 43 or 46.

In order to induce a random movement of the magnets so that the magnetwheels 39 of one group or arm will strike the magnet wheels of the othergroup or arm, I create a deliberate imbalance in the amount of frictionwhich the different magnets encounter on the underside of the playingsurface 14. As best illustrated in FIG. 6, the right end of the drivingarm 22 has a hinged dog leg 49 which supports the pivot pin 40, and theangle of the pivot pin 40 is adjusted by means of a rotatable screw 51.As the screw 15 is screwed upwardly the pivot pin 40 tilts to the left,and as it is screwed downwardly the pivot pin 40 tilts to the right. Ineither position off of vertical, the magnets 36 that are closest totheir wheels 39 will encounter a greater force urging them against theunderside of the surface 14. This then will cause more friction on thesemagnets than on the magnets having a greater spacing from their wheels39 and thereby cause a drag which unbalances the entire system, throwingfirst one pair of magnets 36 to the outside and then the other. Thevertical dimension of wheels 39 with respect to the maximum amount oftilt may be such that the wheels of one group will be able to collidewith wheels of another group, or alternatively the wheels of one groupmay be tilted in the opposite direction.

A presently preferred form of tilting mechanism for this pivot 40 isillustrated also in FIG. 8. There it will be noted that a driving arm19B is straddled by sheet metal U shaped member 52 having a projectingtongue 53 which is urged in a clockwise direction by a compressionspring 54. A screw 56 passing through the end of the tongue 13 andthrough a hole 57 in the arm 19B is allowed to move upwardly ordownwardly by means of a wing nut 58. A pivot spindle 40B projects fromthe top of the U shaped bracket 52. Suitable bars, such as bars 37 ofFIG. 5, may be pivoted on this pin 40b of FIG. 8.

Referring now to FIG. 2 there is illustrated a presently preferred formof driving magnet, that is the magnet disposed on the under side of theplaying surface 14. A

disc type magnet 59 is glued or otherwise adjoined to washer typemagnets 61 and are fitted over a pin 62 mounted in the center part of awheel core 63 which r0 tates about the pin 62 which is secured to oneend of a cross arm 37. A rubber foam rim 64 surrounds the wheel core 63to provide a cushioning effect when a number of such wheels 6364 strikeeach other. Rather than use a spring to urge the magnets 5961 intocontact with the surface 14, I employ magnetic force to achieve thisresult. For this purpose I dispose in the wheel core 63 a washer typemagnet 66 which is so disposed that it is opposite in polarity to theadjoining magnets 61 restrained by the pin 62. This magnetic repulsionbetween the magnets 66 and 61 gives rise to a very effective andfrictionless type of spring action. To reduce the amount of frictionwith the underside of the surface 14, I apply a thin coat 67 of nylon orsimilar low friction material on the top surface of disc magnet 59.

Still referring to FIG. 2, the magnet on the upper side of the surface14 which is driven by the magnet on the lower side of the surface 14,may be of the same disc or washer type and is designated as 68. It toomay have a low friction coating 69 on its side in contact with thesurface 14.

The competitor piece illustrated in FIG. 2 is a boat, and for thispurpose water 71 is introduced on the top of the surface of 14 and aboat 72 floats thereon. A driving connection is preferably telescopingin nature and may consist of a tube 73 secured to the magnet 68 and apin 74 may be connected to the boat to reciprocate in the tube. Thistype of connection is necessary inasmuch as rather high waves aregenerated when boats are driven in the water, and this connectionpermits the boat to freely float over the waves. The boat may beoriented in the proper direction, either by connecting pin 74 to aforward part of the boat or providing the boat with a rudder 76.

Illustrated in FIG. 4 is still another modification of the type ofcompetitor piece that may be employed. In this instance it takes theshape of a motorcycle and driver 77. By properly connecting a magnet 78to the motorcycle 77, the motorcycle may be made to tilt into the curvesas in real life. A different type magnet is illustrated in FIG. 4,wherein the polarity is from one end to the other rather than betweenfiat edges of a disc. Accordingly, there is illustrated a driving magnet79 secured with a lost motion connection to a pin 81 held in a wheel39C.

The strength of the magnets may be easily changed by using magnets ofdifferent sizes and to some degree by the number of magnets in a stackas shown in FIG. 2. The magnets for the longer arm 19 should be slightlystronger for a standard size of playing piece or competitor piecebecause of the greater centrifugal force. It enhances the enjoyment ofmy racing game if the players are lost by excessive centrifugal force.Accordingly the magnets for the longer arm 17 are adjusted with respectto the magnets of the shorter arm 22 so that the same rotational speedof both arms will result in the loss of players due to centrifugalforce.

Illustrated in FIG. 7 is a modified form of magnet assembly wherein nocross bars are employed. A rotating arm 19 has a pivot pin 40a on oneend and a bar 37a is pivoted thereon. Mounted on each end of the bar 37ais a magnet wheel 39a each of which supports a magnet 36a. Thistwo-magnet assembly gives less random movement to any competitor piecesdriven by its magnets.

OPERATION Referring to FIG. 1, suitable competitor pieces 16 are placedon the playing surface 14 in the approximate paths of magnets 36 (FIG.2). The magnets 36 travel in random paths in the general area of thecircles shown in FIG. 2, circles 43 and 46. As the magnets pass underthe competitor pieces 16 they will pick them up and carry them off inrandomly varying but generally circular closed paths. This movementoccurs because each playing piece 16, as shown in FIG. 3, has anarmature or magnet 49 attached to it. The flux of driving magnets 36travels through the sheet forming the racing surface 14 to lock on tothe armature or magnet 49 of the playing pieces 16.

If desired, various types of competitor pieces may be used, such as themotorcycle 77 of FIG. 4 or, when water is placed on the surface 14, theboat of FIG. 2.

As shown best in FIG. 5 each group of magnets 36 is driven by a separaterotating arm 19 or 22, and these are driven as shown in FIG. 6 by motors24 and 28 respectively. Each motor is controlled in turn by itsindividual rheostat 34 shown in FIG. 1. Human players operate therheostats 34 and control the rotational speeds of the arms 19 and 22.When the rotational speed is too great, playing pieces 16 will fly offto the side because the centrifugal force will exceed the magneticattraction. Likewise when the different groups of magnets interfere witheach other too violently, centrifugal force will act with the blows tothrow the pieces outwardly from the paths of travel of the magnets andthe playing pieces, or competitors will be lost for that race.

The magnets 36 of each group move randomly as shown in FIG. 2, each pairon one end of the bars 36 defining the circle of revolution 48, andthese circles 48 in turn revolve along the circle 47, thus giving riseto compound revolution as contrasted to the simple revolution of theFIG. 7 modification. The circles 48 and 47 of one arm 19 or 22 cross thepaths of the other circles 48 and 47 of the other arm 19 or 22. Thuswhen one 0 arm 19 or 22 overtakes the other, the wheels 39 strike eachother, causing violent revolutions of the driving magnets 36, and whenthis acceleration combined with the centrifugal force exceeds themagnetic attraction, the players are lost. Thus skill of the humanoperators of rheostats determines how many playing pieces survive therace, one player slowing up his competitors when the other tries toovertake him and vice versa. Since neither human player can employ hismaximum speed,

the race goes not necessarily to the swift.

Continuous random movement of the magnets is built in by the differencein friction caused by the slanting of the plane of the magnet wheels 39as shown in FIG. 6.

This is done by moving off vertical the pivot pin 40 for the bar 37 asshown in FIG. 6 or as most clearly shown for the modified structure ofFIG. 8. The wheels 39 rotate when they strike each other, and thisrotates the playing pieces 16 momentarily, but their magnet 49 is sopositioned that instantly the pieces align themselves with theirdirection of travel.

More than two arms can be employed, and the interference of magnetgroups may be only with adjacent magnet groupsor may extend to all.

Any number of types of competitor pieces can be used, for example acowboy on horseback driven by one arm may try to catch up with a calfdriven by the other. The boat of FIG. 2 is realistic when it floats onwater, and this introduces another element of skill because high wavesare created by the fast moving pieces.

I do not limit my invention to the various forms illustrated but claimall variations and modifications that fall within the true spirit andscope of my invention.

The embodiment illustrated is inexpensive to manufacture, and troublefree and dependable in operation.

I claim:

1. A racing game comprising:

(a) a flat continuous sheet forming a racing field;

(b) a plurality of driving mechanisms disposed on one side of the sheetand each having a separate closed path of travel;

(0) individual motors for each driving mechanism for energizing thevarious driving mechanisms;

((1) a separate manual control for each motor to permit individualcontrol of speed of each driving mechanism;

(e) pivoted members on each driving mechanism and having an arc of swingthat projects into a neighboring path of travel of a driving mechanism,and each having an outer end;

(f) a driving magnet disposed on the outer end of each pivoted memberand positioned closely adjacent to said one side of the sheet;

(g) racing competitors disposed on the other side of said sheet;

(h) and magnet seeking pieces secured to the competitors and disposedclosely adjacent to said other side of the sheet for maximum magneticcoupling to the magnets.

2. A racing game as defined in claim 1 wherein the pivoted members arebars pivoted intermediate their ends and the magnets are secured to eachend of the bar.

3. A racing game as defined in claim 1 wherein the pivoted memberscomprise main bars pivoted intermediate their ends and a cross bar ispivoted intermediate its ends to at least one end of the main bar ends,and the magnets are secured to the outer ends of the cross bars, to giverise to compound revolutionary movement.

4. A racing game as set forth in claim 1 wherein the magnets arerotatable to provide a rolling contact with magnets on adjacent drivingmechanisms.

5. A racing game as set forth in claim 1 wherein the magnets arerotatable and are surrounded by an exterior wheel to absorb the shocksof mechanical contact between magnets.

6. A racing game as set forth in claim 1 wherein the magnets areyieldingly held in contact with said one side of the sheet racing field.

7. A racing game as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are providedstationary magnets on the outer ends of the pivoted members and having apolarity that repulses the driving magnets to hold the driving magnetsin contact with said one side of the sheet.

8. A racing game as set forth in claim 1 wherein a friction reducingcoating is disposed on the driving magnet where it contacts Said oneside of the sheet racing field.

9. A racing game as set forth in claim 1 wherein a friction reducingcoating is disposed on the magnet-seeking pieces of the competitorswhere they contact said other side of the sheet.

10. A racing game as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sheet racing fieldis level and covered with water, the racing competitors are boats and anexpansible connection is made between boat and its magnet seeking piece,so that the boats can float and ride the waves.

11. A racing game as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plane of rotationof the pivoted members is slightly different from the plane of said oneside of the sheet racing field to give rise to random movement to thedriv ing magnets.

12. A racing game as set forth in claim 1 wherein said drivingmechanisms each have a pivot pin, the pivoted member pivots on the pin,and an adjustment is provided to position said pin to a selected anglewith reference to said one side of the sheet racing field.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,500,475 3/1950 Staaf 46-239 X2,668,389 2/ 1954 Morrison 273-862 X 3,103,360 9/1963 Miller et al.273-862 3,326,555 6/1967 Warren 273-868 3,336,695 8/1967 Warren 273-8623,377,067 4/1968 Proietti 273-862 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary ExaminerU.S. Cl. X.R.

